UPDATE: Volunteer goal reached ahead of Rotary Food Bank Drive

Sep 18, 2018 | 5:30 AM

Residents are asked to go through their cupboards or do some last-minute shopping for those in need as the Rotary Food Bank Drive will be held tonight in Grande Prairie.

Captain Peter Kim of the Salvation Army says they are hoping to collect more than 40 tonnes of food this year. Last year, 43 tonnes of food was donated and the year before that, 46.

“We are hoping this will be a better year again because the need has actually increased again,” said Kim.

And they have the extra space to store all those extra donations. New this year, Grande Prairie and District Catholic Schools has partnered with the Salvation Army to set up a storage area at St. Patrick’s School.

“The school board has been gracious enough to open up the school, so we could store all the food that we are collecting from the Food Bank Drive. And so that we can make sure that food is properly put into hampers for families.”

The Salvation Army Foodbank served 3,100 people from January to August this year. That’s up 300 people from the same time last year. The number of food hampers also increased by 75 to 1,275.

Organizers say they have reached their goal for volunteers.

Volunteers will be going door to door collecting items tonight from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. If you are not home you can leave your donation on your doorstep.

by Brady Ratzlaff/Sheena Roszell